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| Another new owner [message #354840] |
Mon, 18 May 2020 11:43  |
MarkR
Messages: 13
Registered: September 2019
Location: Pennsylvania
Karma:
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Junior Member |
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Hello all,
I do have a question at the end if you want to skip the introduction.
I have been envious of GMC owners for about a decade. I had always thought they looked great from the time they were introduced, but then 10 years or so ago I struck up a conversation with someone knowledgeable about the motorhome and I was smitten. Two or three years ago another knowledgeable person clued me in on the airplane-like capability of GMCs to be upgraded and reborn good as new and I started searching. Got very serious about purchasing over last summer and had a couple of deals fall through (thankfully). Then I got lucky.
I purchased my new motorhome, the Portwagon, in Seattle right before Thanksgiving. I'm guessing some of you would recognize it and maybe knew the PO as well. I call my new land yacht the Portwagon because that's what the PO put on a very nice custom rear bumper mudflap and, as I understand it, changing the name of a boat is just plain bad luck. And I like the mudflap. Plus, the PO was meticulous. Super clean, total overhaul ten years ago, dutifully maintained and conscientiously documented. So I thought it appropriate to honor the PO that way. Anyway, the PO had passed away over the summer and unfortunately neither his widow nor his son could tell me much of anything about it (e.g. I still don't know how to turn on the backup camera). Unlabeled switches on the dash are a problem.
My first stop was a tire shop to put on 7 new Firestone Transforce tires. I had read the horror stories about old tires with lots of tread left on them.
(bonus question, the PO had installed 245s instead of 225s which were recommended to me. They had both and I went with what was already on there. Did I get the wrong tires, overpay for wider tires I don't need, or luck out with an upgrade? I know nothing about tires)
In a perfect world, I would've also had all the fluids, belts, hoses and brake pads changed before heading home for Thanksgiving back in PA. But the transaction took days instead of hours, i was getting a late start and there was a blizzard predicted to hit right as I was in the rockies. But I had confidence in the way the motorhome had been maintained and really had no choice but to cast off and go go go. Took me 5 days and about 2 gallons of power steering fluid -- a small leak the PO's son alerted me to turned into a larger leak every day. Had no time for repairs with a blizzard hot on my tail and my back in spasms from all that driving. Plus, I was fairly confident it was just a fitting or leaky hose (it was) since the PS worked just fine until the fluid was gone (which you don't notice so much on an interstate until you hit the exit ramp). I also drove all the way home with the air bags on hold even though i knew it was wrong when the PO's son told me that's what he did.
After I got the Portwagon home, I had it inspected and changed everything as described above and put it in barn storage for the winter. Only since April have I had the opportunity to put it in the driveway and go down every day to putter. These days, I call it the ADU (Alternate Dwelling Unit). Someday I may quarantine in it.
So, here's the question I promised. Reading your responses to Gurr's post and his issues with maybe a fuel pump makes me wonder about an infrequent issue with the Portwagon. Two or three times, seemingly when the engine didn't turn over immediately, it dumped some fuel. Where from I know not. The first time it happened I put it down to my forgetfulness -- I forgot it was upgraded to EFI and i pumped the pedal a few times. Not that that explained anything to me. But then it happened when I tried starting with a low battery, twice. Each time it happened, it quit dumping fuel pretty quickly, didn't continue leaking while driving or stopped, and then didn't happen again. ???
Here's what you should know about me. I am not a mechanic. Shade tree or otherwise. When I was a young man I changed the automatic transmission in a '77 Triumph TR7 all by myself. Well, myself and a Haynes manual. But any dummy like me can follow those clear, step-by-step directions. I also changed alternators, brake pads, starters, etc. but only after someone told me what the problem was. I can change parts but I'm really pretty clueless about how it all works. I envy you guys with real mechanical aptitude. And I'm eager to do as much work on my motorhome myself as is practical, but I'm also eager to find a local resource who has some familiarity with GMCs for the jobs beyond my capabilities. i'm not far from Ken Frey but he is retiring, Jim Bounds and Steve Rourke are pretty distant. Any referrals would be welcome.
The Portwagon, ex 1975 Eleganza II, Harrison quad bags, 6 wheel disk brakes, 455 w/EFI, serpentine belt, 3.7 final drive
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